Rail-joint



(N Model.) I

P. V. JARDBN.

BAIL JOINT. n

PatentedApr. 26, 1898.

Y ing modified forms of the ish-plates. y Fig. 6V

. UNITED STATES PATENT 'vf'.rricn.

FREDERICK V. rIARDEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAlL-JolNT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,191, dated April 26, 1898. Application filed September 22, 1897. Serial No. 652,547. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK V. JARDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Rail-.loi nts, of which the followin g is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide more efticient means than usual for supporting the meeting ends of railway-rails and for tightening the fish-plates, so that the joint may be perfectlyrigid in what are known as bridge-joints -that is to say, joints formed between the ties.

My invention is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved form of rail-joint. h Fig. 2 is a transverse section. on the line'l`1, Fig. 1. Fig. `3 is a detached perspective view of a part of the railjoint. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views showis a plan view of a modified form of wedgeplate. Fig. 7 is a sectional view .on the line 2 2, Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views showing further modifications of the wedgeplate, and Figs. IO and 11 are details of the invention. j

My invention consists vof a ish-plate railjoint of the bridge type in which the wedgeplate has wedge-shaped ends engaging the depending portions of the fish-plates, the wedgeplate being adapted to be placed directly under the meeting ends ofthe rails between two adjoining ties.

In the drawings, A represents the ordinary rail in general use, and B B are the shplates, which engage the head and base of the rail, as shown, and have depending portions B midway between their ends, these depending portions passing down between the ties upon which the rails are placed. The wedge-plate C (shown in the perspective view, Fig. 3) is placed directly under the meeting ends of the rails, so as to afford a solid support for the same, and a series of projections c are formed on each 4side of the wedge-plate, which'proj ections are adapted to tit the openingsb in the depending portions B of the fish-plates. These projections are beveled on their under side in the same direction, so that after the wedgeplate is fitted in place movement of the same in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, will cause it to be wedged between the base of the rails and the bottoms of the apertures in the depending portions of the fish-plates. In order to provide for positive movement of the wedge-plate and to keep it in the adjusted position, I provide one of the projections c, preferably the central one, with a threaded end c', to which a nut c2 is adapted, said nut bearing against an ordinary spring nutlock c3. It is not essential, however, that this bolt lbe formed integral with the wedge-plate, and in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have shown a wedgeplate in connection with whichy a separate bolt may be used, the squaredhead of the bolt fitting a-recess c4 in the wedge-plate. This recess may be formed in the plate, as in Fig. 7, or may eX- tend entirely through the same, as in Fig. 8, or the bolt may be tapped into a threaded opening in the wedge-plate, as shown in Fig. 9.

In Figs. 4: and 5 I have shown modified forms of fish-plates and bolts for holding the same to the rails. In the joints shown in these views the iish-plates are provided with stepped or offset seats for the heads of the bolts and nut-locking washers, the washers being shown in Figs. 10 andv l1, which are correspondingly stepped or offset. There is thus practically no danger of the bolts slipping or turning, and the loosening ot' the joint is thereby prevented. In lieu of the offset faces on the fish-plates, bolt-heads, and nutlocks, a depression, as b2, may be rolled in the iish-plate, as shown in Fig. 1,with which the bolt-head or washer may engage.

Should the joint work loose from any cause, it is only necessary to tighten the nut-c2 on the threaded end o', when the wedge-plate will be drawn up under the meeting ends oi' the rails, thereby forming a solid support for the ends of the same.

The sh-plates are made alike, so as to be interchangeable, and the wedge-plate may be used on either side and the nut located on the inside or the outside of the track structure, as may be desired.

I claim as my inventionl. A joint for the meeting ends of railway rails comprising fish-plates interchangeable with each other and having depending por- IOG tions with apertures therein having their bers forming wedges adapted to enter the apertures in lthe depending portions of the fishplates, and likewise having their acting faces in the same horizontal plane, and means for moving said wedge-plate laterally.

2. A joint for the meeting ends of railwayrails comprising lish-plates interchangeable with each other and having portions extending below the base of the rails with apertures therein having their lower faces in the same horizontal plane, a wedge-plate having beveled projecting members forming wedges adapted to said apertures and likewise having their acting faces in the same horizontal plane, with a bolt or bolts formed integral with the wedge-plate and a nut or nuts adapted thereto, whereby the wedge-plate may be moved laterally.

3. The combination of the rails, sh-plates therefor, a wedge-plate mounted under the rails, said wedge-plate having beveled pro liections at each side bearing on the fish-plates, and a bolt carried by the wedge-plate above the bearing-point, with a nut adapted thereto for moving the wedge-plate laterally, substantially as described.

LI. As a new article of man u factu re,a wedgeplate for the meeting ends of railway-rails consisting of a body having on each side one or more projecting members beveled on the under side, forming wedges, and having their acting faces in the same horizontal plane.

5. A joint for the meeting ends of railwayrails, comprising the fish-plates, and securing devices for holding said fish-plates to the rails, said securing devices comprising bolts and nuts with suitable nut-locks, the seats for the bolt-heads and nut-locks having portions of their faces formed in different planes, the bolt-heads and nut-locks fitting the same, whereby any rotative movement of the bolt is prevented.

G. As a new article of manufacture, a nutlock comprising an annular ring of spring metal having a single plane surface on one side of the same, and the other side composed of a number of surfaces offset from cach other and in different planes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK V. JARDEN.

\Viti1esses:

WILL. A. BARR, Jos. II. KLEIN. 

